Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Fala’s eyes go wide. She nods, her gaze flicking to me inside the carriage, and she races back inside in a tinkling swirl of skirts.
Poor kid.
The journey back to Omos’s monastery is uneventful. I gaze out the window at the winding road through the hills, and the dark smear of the Dirtlands in the south. It would have been interesting to see all of that, I think. Kalos told me there was a glittering crystal palace that floated in the sky there, and that it belonged to the goddess of magic. It sounds fascinating, but I’m too tired. All I want is to relax.
All I want is to stay with Kalos forever.
My head throbs as we pull up to the monastery. Omos rushes out the moment the carriage stops, wearing his beekeeping hat. Dingle prances up to his side a moment later. The goat is wearing a fancy little scarf that matches Omos’s colorful belt, and it makes me so happy to see our pet loved and cared for that I burst into tears.
Kalos carries me inside, and we sit near the fire. The aching tension in my head grows worse, and it’s like now that my body knows there’s a problem, all my systems are shutting down. I feel ancient and tired and achy all over. Kalos takes one look at my tight, pained face and caresses my cheek. The headache disappears, and I sneeze.
A touch of his magic, then. I wonder how long he’s been managing my symptoms and I just wasn’t aware? How many times did I chalk up my lethargy to run-over from his apathy? How did I just not notice any of this until now?
I’m wrapped in a blanket by my doting Kalos, and Omos hands me a warm cup of tea. “I am surprised to see you both. I thought for certain that once we’d heard news of Kalos’s victory that I’d never see either of you again. I am delighted to be proven wrong, of course, but still surprised.” He studies me and Kalos. “Is there aught amiss?”
“I’m dying,” I say.
Omos just blinks, then gestures that I should go on. He’s not fazed in the slightest by this admission, and I feel stupid. Of course I’m going to die. I’m hitched at a soul level with a god. I have to die for him to finish his journey. Even so, it should feel more momentous, shouldn’t it? It can’t just be a big deal to me.
“Drink your tea,” Kalos chides, touching my hand. He gives me another once-over look, as if making sure that I’m all right.
Okay, so it’s not just a big deal to me. I give him a soft smile and take a dutiful sip.
As I drink the tea, I tell Omos about everything that’s happened since we last saw him. I tell him about leaving the book with Metta and Varina, our journey to Eagleton and Narshire, the encounter with Liar-Kalos, Belara and her concerns, and the news of my own sickness that I’ve been unwittingly hiding.
“We were going to come back and finish my book and maybe see what else we could do while we were here,” I say, watching as the monk feeds vegetable scraps to my goat. I want to hold Dingle but the warm mug in my hands feels too good. “Kalos was going to stay until I was ready, but I’m afraid that timeline has changed. Is it all right if we remain here tomorrow? We’ll be gone right after that. Both of us.”
Kalos reaches out and strokes my hair, his hand resting on my neck in quiet possession.
“Oh, my friend, you can stay as long as you like.” Omos gives me the kindest smile. “Only tell me what you need, and it’s yours. Those that help the gods during the Anticipation are selfless in their sacrifices. Whatever I can do to make your time here easier, it shall be done.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t finish my book. I really hoped it would be helpful to the locals.”
The monk brightens. “You know, I had a visitor earlier this morning. Metta from the village up the hill brought me some of her herbs she’d been growing in her garden and wanted to know the names of them. Said they matched some of the pictures in your book and demanded that I continue to work with her even if you can no longer finish the project. She was very determined.”
Metta’s going to finish my book? I beam at him, thrilled. “Really?”
“Oh yes. She told me someone had tried to steal it and the entire village chased the woman away with brooms. Your knowledge will make a difference.”
“Not my knowledge. It’s just knowledge that shouldn’t be gatekept. If they don’t have the opportunity to read the books here, or the learning, then we have to bring the knowledge to them.”